


Extreme Measures

by writingcreature



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Dark fic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Torture, Slash, Steve McGarrett whump, Torture, Worried Danny Williams, mcdanno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-16
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 10:50:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2465558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingcreature/pseuds/writingcreature
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is captured by a serial killer. Cold and efficient she's toying with his mind and body for some time until he's saved by his team. His captor is put behind bars. Steve and Danny are still dealing with the aftermaths when she manages to escape. Following her own sinister logic, she's up to only one thing: setting the perfect trap to destroy Steve McGarrett once and for all. But she doesn't know how determined Danny can be to protect the ones he loves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Steve sat on the couch in his apartment. He wore a black suit with a white button down shirt. The tie dangled around his neck. He watched the last beams of the setting sun. The dust shimmered and reminded him of sparkling little diamonds. He swallowed convulsively. His service gun lay heavy in his hands. He rested his head on the backrest of the couch and stared at the ceiling. From the beach, he could hear music and laughter, proving to him that life was still going on, no matter what._  


He lifted his hand and pressed the gun against his temple. He squeezed his eyes shut. A voice inside of him yelled: STOP! He brushed the barrel of the gun down his cheek and finally dropped his hand.

“Easy come, easy go. That's just how you live,” the lyrics crossed his mind. His beeper went off.

He swallowed hard. Laughter and music mingled with the cacophony in his head. His forefinger caressed the trigger.

He broke out in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. The noise in his head grew louder and louder. The whole scenario was kinda sick. And sick was what his life had been over the past few weeks, anyway. Steve's face went blank and in a liquid motion he lifted the gun, put it into his mouth and fired.

  
A hoarse scream escaped his throat. Steve jerked upright and blinked. He was surrounded by darkness, except for the candle on the coffee table. Its flickering light was throwing dancing shadows on the wall. His head was killing him. He got up and went into the bathroom. He quickly dropped his cargos and stepped under the shower.

Half asleep, Danny went down the stairs. It was the season of suffocating humidity and hot, sleepless nights. The air condition had died an early death this morning. Naked, Danny had been lying in bed watching the glowing green digits turn. Waiting for Steve to join him but in vain. Instead, Steve was having a damn shower in the middle of the night. Danny shook his head, put on his shorts and followed the noise of running water.

There Steve stood. Turning his face into the spray, bracing both hands on the tiled wall. Danny watched him bow his head and let the water run down over his hair, his broad shoulders, along with the outline of his body and finally down the drain. Steve and water were usually a guarantee for an instant hard on. Even under these circumstances, he felt like a rabbit in front of a snake. Danny couldn't take his eyes off his lover's body. For another minute or so, Steve just stood there with his head bowed, his hands braced against the wall, letting the spray beat down on him.

Of course, Steve had noticed Danny watching him. Could sense his arousal a mile off. If only he could erase his memories, if only he could just turn around, grab Danny and have hot sex under the shower right then and there. Finally, he sighed and stepped out of the shower. While trying to avoid the shower door, he slipped on the tiles. Before Danny could reach him, he caught himself on the sink.

"You're alright?" Danny hoped Steve wouldn't hear his accelerated heartbeat and the worry in his voice. He knew how on edge Steve had been since he came back from his trip to hell.

To his surprise, Steve nodded briefly, "Yeah, thanks. I'm … I'm fine."

He slung a towel around his waist and dragged his hand through his wet hair, leaving it in dark spikes. Then he brushed past Danny and went to the porch, grabbing the banister with one hand. The air was heavy and smelled of rain.

It had been his first day back on the job. Actually, the doctor had told him he needed another week or two on sick leave, but at his growl had just shrugged and finally signed the release form. Thoughtfully, he ran his fingers over the scar. It began left of his sternum, carved a naked path through his chest hair, arched, and then arched again back down to its origin point. It was shaped like a leaf. Or to be precise, it was shaped exactly like the leaf of a Betula lenta, also known as Sweet Birch.

"Nothing that happened to me in the past weeks could even remotely be called sweet," he thought and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You and me eternally, you and me eternally.”

He snapped his eyes open and found himself still on the porch, gripping the banister with both hands now.

He panted heavily, knuckles white.

“You and me eternally, you and me eternally.”

The eerie voice in his head made him nauseous. A choked cry fought its way past his clenched teeth. His eyes were brimming with tears.

Images flooded his mind.

_He woke on his back. His mouth was taped shut. Still groggy, he tried to move, but his hands and feet were tied to a stainless steel table. He was shirtless and barefooted. Suddenly he remembered the last article about this serial killer. All of the victims wore their trousers while the naked rest of their bodies had been mutilated. Panic-stricken, he turned his head from side to side._

_A stench hit his nostrils, made him gag. He wasn’t alone but whoever was with him … wasn't alive any longer. Heat flushed his body. He pulled hard against the bindings until his skin broke._

_Steps. A stunning beauty entered his living nightmare. Isadora Birch._

"Steve, relax. You're at home with me," Danny’s voice jolted him back to reality.

"I know, I know. Sorry, I didn't mean to ... It's just … I'm not really used to it … used being home … here with you." Steve swallowed hard.

"We've talked about it. It's okay. Really. Take all the time you need, Steve. I was already tossing and turning when I heard the noise. Didn't know what was going on. So I rushed downstairs."

"What did you expect?" Steve snapped. "Me in the tub with slit wrists?"

When Danny put his hand beneath Steve's shoulder blades his partner's body went rigid. But he left the hand in its place. "Don't go there Steven, please." Danny gulped. Having a conversation with Steve these days was like crashing into a wall at full speed. But he was convinced that time was a healer and that Steve's anger was nothing more than a protective shield. He decided not to argue and put on a cheerful face.

"You know what, let’s have a beer,” Danny suggested and went over to the kitchen, thinking Steve would join him. Instead, his partner headed upstairs into the bedroom without further ado.

Danny shook his head, heaved a loud sigh and poured himself a glass of cold water instead of beer. Thoughtfully, he took a sip. Steve hadn’t talked much since he had come back from wherever and was acting more and more like a zombie these days. He drained the glass and put it in the sink. Maybe he should talk to Steve?

He’d already talked to Chin and Kono. The whole team had been on the case 24/7 and believed that Steve was still alive, hoping against hope when all other authorities had already given up on him.

They had talked a lot, also with Ava Lewis, the profiler from the FBI. She’d given them an inside look into Birch’s mind. Ava was a first class profiler. She described the murder suspect as an astrophysicist, with a degree in psychology, highly intelligent and with an unhealthy obsession for Steve. Ava didn’t believe Steve had been taken at random. Seven men had been killed, and at least three of them were related to Birch somehow. Furthermore, all of them looked quite similar to Steve. Ava had shown them a photo of the suspect. She had a flawless face, framed by long dark hair. Her blue eyes sparkled like diamonds in the sun. She wasn't ugly, didn't have any disfiguring scars or birth defects. Outwardly, Isadora Birch was perfect.

"You know what," Ava ended their meeting, "The previous killings looked like they were some kind of rehearsal. Like she was making sure, there would be no surprises when she went for her 'primary target'. If you know what I mean." Of course, they did, this psycho chick had given them the creeps, but everything about her was methodical in the extreme.

Danny still hesitated but then he gathered up his courage and went upstairs.

~~~

Steve dropped the towel and slipped underneath the covers. He closed his eyes and tried to catch some sleep, his mind still spinning.

He switched on the bedside lamp when he heard Danny’s footsteps. A fraction later, his lover showed up in the doorway, “mind if I come in?”

Their life had been kinda odd since Steve’s return. They shared the same bed but behaved like strangers and from time to time Danny just had to back out and stay at his old apartment because otherwise, he knew he wouldn’t be able to deal with their relationship any longer. Or the current lack thereof.

Steve drew a breath, “No. Wanna sing me a lullaby?”

“If it helps?” Danny curved his mouth into a smile.

“Nah, to be honest, I don’t think so,” Steve said grumpily.

Danny sat down. Silence fell. He fiddled with the sheets, feeling quite uncomfortable, needing something to keep his hands busy.

“And you came here for what exactly … aside from sharing the bed with me?” Steven muttered.

Danny turned his head a bit to look him square in the eyes, “what makes it so hard for you to talk about it?”

Suddenly Steve felt all the pain and guilt he kept so carefully under lock and key burning in his chest.

He licked his lips, “it’s complicated.”

Danny’s left eyebrow shot up, “Really? You can spare us the ugly details but talk to me, dammit. Running and hiding is not the answer. Aside from Chin and Kono, I’ve spoken with Ava as well. You should go back and finish what you’ve started. Without her, we wouldn't have had a snowflake’s chance in hell to save you in time. You owe it to her, to us and to the poor souls who weren’t as lucky as you were.”

Steve gulped. "Believe it or not, I already had this conversation today, WITH Ava. But I’m not sure if I can handle any more of it.” The mere thought of facing Isadora Birch again made him shudder.

“You’re making progress; Ava told us,” Danny objected, “Just one or two more sessions and she might break through the barrier. Don’t get me wrong; nobody wants to push you. But you must finish this. Don’t let this bitch run the show inside your head.”

If only you knew. Steve sat up straight, "I know that Ava did an excellent job and that I'm the only one who survived this madness. And I appreciate your concern as well. It’s just … it's just that I need some time to think. Some time alone.” His voice trailed off.

Another picture flashed in front of his mind’s eye.

“Look at me, Steve,” Isadora ordered. He squeezed his eyes shut. “LOOK … AT … ME!”

“… was the reason. Steve? Steve?” Danny shook him gently.

“Screw you!” He thought.

Without further ado, she stabbed him viciously in his side. His nasal passages had clogged with mucus; his mouth was still taped shut. He couldn’t breathe. He howled against the duct tape, convulsing with pain. His eyes flew open as she held his head firmly by a fistful of hair. She twisted the scalpel deeper into his flesh.

“Good boy, it could be so easy. I hate to be ignored.” She blew a kiss on his forehead, “Got it?”

He nodded weakly.

“Good boy,” She pulled the scalpel out and dropped it on the metal tray. Then she left, humming to herself.

“Uhm, sorry. What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Danny said dryly and yawned, "Let's go to sleep now.”

He was just getting ready to lay down when Steve’s cell phone shrilled. Both men were startled. Steve looked at the caller ID; it was Chin.

“Isn’t it a little late for a call? What’s up?” He tried to sound casual, but his gut instinct told him something was wrong, terribly wrong.

“I’m at the hospital where they had taken Isadora Birch.”

Steve tilted his head a fraction, “And?”

“She escaped. We found one dead guard in his underwear. According to the ME, he died four or five hours ago. It looks like the trail is already cold. She’s gone. I sent a team over to your house and one to Danny's apartment. Take care and watch out. Gotta goes now. Talk to you later.”

Steve froze, and his face went blank as he snapped the phone shut.

Danny was alarmed, “Who was it?” he asked.

"Chin."

Outside, thunder was growling.

“Isadora escaped,” Steve whispered.

Danny’s eyes widened in disbelief, “What? How could that be? I mean, wasn’t she supposed to be in critical condition?”

Birch should have been transferred to another prison. During this procedure, she somehow managed to take a bunch of pills. God only knew where she got those from.

“I guess she deceived us all,” Steve muttered, “She’s smart and she’s has in-depth knowledge of drugs.” He barked a laugh.

“Do you think she will return?” Danny asked, his concern clearly visible on his face.

Steve nodded slowly, “The last thing she told me was, “it’s not over yet. We have a love that will last forever, and I want you to know exactly how I feel because I'm eternally yours.”

About that time, the thunderstorm finally broke. Lightning struck, and you could feel the static in the air.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve sat in his car. It was parked in front of the office building where he had an appointment with the department's shrink. He listened to the sound of the falling rain hitting the SUV's rooftop. While he put his hand on the wheel, his thoughts started to drift away.

_He lay in the dark, hardly noticing the smell of decay anymore. He’d lost track of time, lost track of himself. He had a cocktail of drugs in his system. Hundreds, no thousands of tiny little spiders were crawling over his body into his nose, his ears. This eerie feeling made him want to scream. Only he couldn’t speak or move his mouth._

_“Shush, you’re hallucinating,” She said, softly wiping his forehead with a cold, wet cloth. Her voice wrenched him back to the tiled room._   
_“I hope you don’t mind the stench darling,” She giggled._

_She kept on talking, but Steve didn’t want to hear it. He closed his eyes and thought about Danny. Thought about being with him somewhere else. Outside, on the beach. Or on his lanai, a longboard in one hand. Anywhere except in this stinking basement._

_Steve gently ran his finger over Danny's cheek, snuggled his face under his chin and kissed him tenderly._

_“How was your day with Grace? I’ve been missing you.”_   
_“I’ve missed you, too,” Danny whispered into his ear._

_Suddenly, he withdrew from Steve and got up looking at him in horror, “Are you going to survive or are you already dead?”_

_Flummoxed, Steve tried to comfort him, “I can’t tell you, not now. Give me time to find out.”_

_Danny’s eyes were filled with tears, “I think you’d better go. NOW!”_   
_“LOOK … AT … ME!”_

_The woman’s voice was shrill, almost breaking in her rage. It made his image of Danny break into tiny little shards, like a mirror on a soprano’s high note had cracked._

_"Welcome back to my never-ending nightmare," Steve thought and swallowed hard. He didn’t want to pay her attention at all, but he had learned his lesson well and gave in._

_Slowly, he turned his head._

_Isadora's face was blank, “Scared, Lt. Commander?” She said and moved closer, her mouth almost touching his, “There’s no need to.”_

_Her breath was hot against his face, and then he smelled - lilac._

_“They won’t find you in time, and now we are progressing to level two of our game.” Isadora turned around and went to the other side of the room._

_Steve desperately craned his neck and tried to find out what she was going to do next._

_“I guess it’s time for a drink,” She purred._

_He jerked his head from side to side. Fought to get on his elbows, but he was far too weak. She knotted her fist into his hair and held his head firmly._

_She knew exactly what to do to force his mouth open and made him drink. Steve smelled bleach, gagged and tried to spit it out, but she pressed his jaw and nose shut._

_It burned down his throat; sweat beaded on his forehead. He fought his bonds, muscles straining. Isadora watched him closely, her eyes beaming with pleasure._

_After a while, Steve calmed down and lay panting on the table. She put her head on his chest and listened. His heart hammered wildly. For her, it was like a symphony. Beethoven’s 9th, maybe. Or something by Mahler._

_“You and me eternally, you and me eternally,” She sang._

_Now Steve knew he’d been way too optimistic. He survived today but what about tomorrow?_

The ringing of his mobile released him from his gloomy thoughts. It was Danny.

"Sorry to disturb you Steve, but we've found another body. You should come and take a look at it."

"On my way," he muttered and fired up the engine. The shrink could wait, anyway.

Ten minutes later, Steve made his way through the crime scene.   
“The guy was lucky." Danny welcomed him. "She killed him quick. Looks like she broke his neck," He stated.

Steve squatted next to the young man’s body to take a closer look. Danny was right. Thank God the kid had died unaware of what Isadora was capable of. Steve pulled himself to his feet.

The poor guy’s name was Andy Corben, a student at Hawaii Pacific University.He lived in an apartment complex across the street. Chin and a SWAT-Team had already checked it. But they came up empty except for the uniform from the guard she'd killed at the hospital and a bunch of dark hair.

"She's cut her hair to change her appearance," Steve said and ran his hand across his face, exhausted. “We need new pictures. Chin, get us a composite facial specialist, immediately," He barked and vanished round the corner, Danny hot on his heels.

Danny took a brief look around to make sure they were out of everyone's earshot.

"Did you take your meds, Steven?"

Steven was always a sign that Danny wasn't kidding and wouldn’t leave him well enough alone, no matter what. In this, the shorter man was like a terrier. Steve shook his head, "Nope. Don't wanna walk around like a freaking Zombie all day."

"What about the shrink?"

"I was already in the parking lot when I got your call," Steve said, "But I promise I'll talk to him as soon as possible. What about a little dinner tonight. Just the two of us in a cozy restaurant or with some takeout at home. I'll buy some wine …"

"Sorry, but Rachel called. I totally forgot that she and StepStan are invited to some fancy dinner at the Embassy of Karthouf or Karthoum or whatever. And Grace and I are up for tons of popcorn and Disney movies."

Steve nodded thoughtfully. "Then why don't you bring her along and we …"

"I don't consider this a good idea," Danny said, "Given your current state of mind and a lunatic serial killer with a particular crush on you on the loose."

Danny dropped his gaze to his shoes. He felt like a pig for letting Steve down like this when the man was practically begging him not to be alone, but he had to keep his little girl safe, too.

Steve opened and closed his mouth a few times. Rage was boiling in him. Dammit, Isadora had had a greater impact on his life than he was ready to admit. His whole world was turning upside down. And if he wasn't able to regain control … He didn’t want to think about it. He had never begged anyone not to leave him alone in his own house before.

So Steve called on his training and cleared his throat, "You're right. Waking up screaming scares the crap out of me as it is. No need to scare Gracie, too. Give her a big hug from me. Will you?"

"Of course," Danny replied squeezing his partner's shoulder.

It tore his heart apart watching Steve leaving the scene with sagging shoulders, and he wanted nothing more than to run after him and comfort him. Never let go till the end of time.

Instead, he called for Chin and asked him to keep an eye on Steve's house, just for tonight.

"Of course, Danny. No problem."

~~~

_Steve sat opposite Isadora. She glanced at the observation window before settling her attention on him._

_“You’ve changed, haven’t you? Your whole world has changed. How’s Jersey? I heard you’ve separated,” Her mouth curved into a malicious smile, “Because you cheated on him. You can't blame him for feeling the way he does.”_

_Their eyes locked. She brushed through her hair with her manacled hands._

_“Why me?” Steve asked._

_“You’re the only one who seemed to take a genuine interest in my work. All the others weren’t worth it. They didn’t understand me. Back to Jersey …”_

_“I’m no longer part of your sick game,” Steve snapped._

_Isadora looked pleased, “you’re wrong. You’re still down with me in the basement. You never left. I’m the reason why you can’t be with him. I’ve destroyed you!”_   
_She cackled with glee._

_Steve pushed back his chair abruptly and got up._

_“Where the hell do you think you’re going? We’re not done yet.” Her voice betrayed a sudden insecurity._

_“I’m done,” he muttered and slammed the door._

WHAM! Steve woke up with a jerk. He felt a deep throbbing pain in his neck where his head had been scrunched up against the side window. It was still drizzling. Through the windshield, he could see his house. He hardly remembered how he got here. And he had no clue how long he’d been sleeping. He was still losing track of time in weird ways. Dropping out of the car, he watched it all with a strange sense of alienation. As if there was more than just the rain between him and his environment. He felt like he was looking at the world through the eyes of a stranger. Isadora had caused more damage than she thought. She didn’t destroy him. No, she killed him. A horrifying thought! He fumbled for the keys and opened the door. It was dark and quiet inside. Thank God Danny was with his daughter. Tonight he wouldn’t have to answer any awkward questions about nightmares and about what had happened in that basement.

He went straight to the bar and poured himself a glass of Jack Daniels. First, he wanted to put the bottle back but decided to take it with him. He dropped on the couch and got rid of his shoes while he downed his first glass of the night.

~~~

Danny put Grace to bed. Gave her a soft kiss on her forehead she answered with a sigh. He caught himself feeling guilty. Because watching his daughter sleep gave him the inner peace he'd been longing for since Steve's return from his trip to hell. No doubt the man had changed. Who wouldn't? Being locked up and tortured for days with a maniac that had no equal. Desperately he'd tried to make Steve talk. He felt sure it would help him, help them. At the moment, they were only drifting farther apart. The more Danny pushed forward, the more Steve retreated. Until Danny decided to let it be. It wasn't right, he knew.

He caressed Grace's hair and went into the kitchen to pour him some coffee. A slight knock at the door made him jolt. The hot liquid spilled on the floor. Cursing, he put the cup back on the counter and hurried outside.

Expectantly Danny opened the door.

“Ava?!” He couldn’t hide his frustration.

Ava shrugged, “Sorry. Guess you expected someone else, a certain handsome, dark haired Lt. Commander, maybe? But it’s just me.”

She was the only one besides Kono and Chin and of course Isadora who knew about their relationship.

Danny felt caught and twisted his face, “Honestly said, yes.”

He turned, motioned to Ava to follow him and led the way into the apartment. The floors were layered with rugs. Pictures of Grace and Danny and drawings she had made hung on one side of the wall, the other was empty. The apartment was neither big, nor was it neat and tidy, but it was home, more so than Steve’s house had been these past weeks.

"Grace is very talented," She said and pointed at some of the drawings.

Danny led her to the living room. The coffee table was packed with DVDs and a huge bowl of popcorn or at least its remains.

"Father-Daughter-Evening," She suspected with a friendly smile on her face. "I've always enjoyed them."

The smile suddenly faded, and her eyes darkened.

To kill the awkward silence, Danny said, "I bet your dad must be very proud of you. You're a first class profiler with the FBI now."

She straightened her back, "Yes. I think he would have been. Unfortunately, he died before I went to the academy. Heart attack."

"Uhm, I'm sorry. Do you want some coffee?" He changed the subject.

“Sure,” Ava said taking a seat in one of the large armchairs.

"Milk, sugar?"

"Just black, thanks."

Shortly afterward Danny put a steaming cup in front of her and sat down on the couch, another cup in his hands.

A few seconds of silence ticked by. Then she rose to speak.

"I can't tell you how angry I was when I heard about Isadora and her escape," She mumbled.

"I was with Steve when Chin called."

"How did he …"

"Better than I thought, surprisingly. And now we’re back at square one. I'm sure she won't give up until she's done with him."

Ava crooked a brow, “Why do you think so?”

Danny drew a breath, “Call it gut instinct. She isn’t through with him. As far as I know, that’s also what she’d been telling him.”

“I don’t want to bother you, Danny. But have you ever considered she could've been after you as well?” Ava intervened.

Danny smirked and shook his head, “don’t think so. Why should she? I'm flattered Ava but look at me. I'm absolutely not her type. Did I tell you that she even sent me flowers? Isadora is one helluva crazy bitch. Flowers came from one of those Internet places. It must have been before she was arrested. Together with a card: Sorry for your loss. Warm regards Isadora Birch. Somehow she was right, wasn't she?"

Ava put her cup back on the coffee table, “I don’t know what …”

Their eyes met.

"When someone you love that much dies you can feel it, ever heard of?" Danny asked. "That's what happened to me at a certain point when there were nothing but dead ends. I mean I felt his absence. Literally. I knew he was gone. And then we've found him in this horror cabinet, alive. And I felt like a prick.

"You know that I've talked to him over and over again. But he refused to answer most of my questions. Did he tell you anything … any details?" Ava wanted to know.

“No, and I've stopped asking. Sorry. Want some more coffee?” Danny asked got up and started pacing.

Ava shook her head and glanced at her watch. “I’m fine, thanks.”

“He was a mess when I got him back. He was on all this medication," Danny suddenly spilled his guts."At best he would've been sitting in one place for hours, not doing anything at all. I was worried he might do something stupid, hurt himself or ...” He let this hang in the air. He twisted his face, ran a hand over his stubbly chin and turned away.

Ava almost heard the load of rocks that fell from Danny's shoulders. She stood and went beside him.

He raised a hand not looking at her. “It’s ok, I’m fine,” He hurried to say.

She put a hand on his upper arm.

"Call me when you need someone to talk to. I'm a good listener. If you bottle it up, it will eat you alive. Believe me; I know what I'm talking about."

Then she let herself out of the apartment.

Danny felt hollowed out, empty and incredibly sad. He dropped on the couch swallowing hard while a single tear ran down his face. He didn't want to wake up Grace. But it was too late. The little muffin appeared yawing in the doorway. While she rubbed her eyes, Danny thumbed away the tear.

"What's up Danno?" she asked groggily. "You look worried. And who were you talking to?"

She cuddled up in his lap.

"Just someone from the office."

"Are you okay?"

"Of course, monkey, of course." He buried his face in her soft hair and rocked her gently.

Danny thoughts drifted back. That day, he’d planned a dinner for Steve and him. He’d arranged flowers on the table, lit some candles, and put some satin sheets on the bed. Nothing was left to chance. He was looking for the perfect moment. The box with the rings he'd put under Steve's napkin. And then his dreams shattered. Isadora Birch took Steve on that very day. And Danny? He'd kept his secret. Stuffed the rings in the bottom drawer, behind the softball stuff from his old team in Jersey, way back behind stuff Steve would never think to look at.


	3. Chapter 3

Early in the morning, the next day Steve, Chin, and Kono sat in the meeting room. Isadora Birch’s file was spread across the table.

“We checked the leads and came up empty,” Kono said frustratedly, leaned back and cast a look in Steve’s direction.  
His heart sank, but he tried to hide it.

“I was kinda hoping I’d never have to think about her ever again,” He sighed deeply and tried to swallow his unease.

“You mean not until she became “America’s most wanted” or since the past came back to threaten the future,” Chin said grimly.

“Exactly,” Steve nodded slowly. It felt strange, looking at reports he had written before … Fragments, jumbled and confused, crossed his mind.

Bleach diluted with water. He was going to die. Meanwhile, she put him on a morphine drip. He was coughing up blood. She sat next to him, holding a washcloth to catch the blood and the saliva. He didn’t register what she said. He just felt like he’d been wrapped up in cotton until she put another glass of water and bleach to his lips. This time, he couldn’t swallow it. He choked and vomited, fought for oxygen. All of his senses came horribly alive. He screamed.

“… there’s no other connection. No evidence, no case, not even rumors.” Kono shrugged.

“She’ll be charged with attempted murder of a Hawaii Five-0 Agent, the guard and the young guy we found yesterday," Chin stated.

“But we wanted to charge her with all the murders she committed. Seven men have died a senseless, brutal death. We know it was her but can’t prove it,” Kono objected angrily, “dammit.”

"Didn't she tell you anything Steve? Any hint where she could've dumped the bodies?"

"You sound like a broken record,” Steve snapped. "Maybe she did, Chin, and I was either too busy staying alive or halfway into a coma. We went over it again and again. Do you really think I would keep this shit to myself if I could remember anything? I wish I could help those people to get back their loved ones so they can draw a line. But I can't."

"Sorry Steve, I didn't want to…"

“Are we done?” Asked Steve, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and his forefinger. He wanted nothing more than to get out of there as soon as possible. The air was getting too thick to breathe.

“I agree, we should proceed tomorrow,” Kono said, “all we do right now is talk in circles.”

Steve got up, “Fine. See you guys." Then he left.

“You should better stay at home,” Chin muttered and pulled a face.

“Nothing could keep him away from the job. Not now that she’s out there, lurking,” Kono stated, "He will be okay, trust me. All he needs is time."

“Let’s hope so. After all, he’s our boss. I don’t want another. I just don’t think he’s ready for her,” Chin tossed the picture of Isadora Birch on the table. "But sooner or later, their paths will cross again and then I wouldn’t like to get caught between them.”

\-----  
Danny was the last one in the office. Chin and Kono had brought him up to speed after he'd missed the meeting. Grace was coming down with the flu, and of course, Rachel was giving him the usual speech that he was a neglectful father who stuffed his daughter with junk food and other unhealthy stuff and it was all his fault anywhere for … probably for breathing.

"Look at me! I grew up with junk food. Burger and Fries haven’t killed anyone yet and don't forget about the Orange Juice, tons of vitamin C in there. I just had a blood check. I'm the healthiest person in the world. Besides, you can't get the flu from junk food. That's ridiculous, Rachel, and you knew it. Don't make me the scapegoat if there’s trouble in paradise with StepStan."

He was lucky she didn't kick his ass, literally. But for now, their relationship was something like that of an inhabitant of the Siberian Gulag to a frozen pimple on his nose.

Then the Governor had called and wanted to meet him, to talk about the case and – of course – about Steve's current condition. A frozen pimple crossed his mind, once more.

After that, he'd teamed up with Chin and Kono to follow some leads that turned out to be nothing more than the fantasy of an old junkie who was looking for fast money. Wasted money, wasted time. In between, he must have left a dozen messages for Steve, but no reply.

This was much more than Danny could bear. He was sick and tired of staring at the phone, waiting for a call. He took the car keys and decided to talk to his partner.

The house wars dark, but Steve's car was parked in the driveway.

With trembling fingers, he unlocked the door and checked the alarm system. It wasn't armed. He cursed inwardly closed the door and looked around. A dim light illuminated the upper floor.

~~~

Steve was in the bedroom, looking out of the window; outside it was dark. He had one hand shoved into his cargo's pocket and the other one underneath his black t-shirt. The scar … He wished he could get rid of it, could tear it off his skin. This silent reminder …

“Maybe it’s time to let you go,” Isadora whispered in Steve’s ear.

His vision had narrowed down to a few feet around his head. She showed him the syringe.

“It’s digitalis, darling. Your heart stops, and you’ll die. No more suffering.”

She injected it into the IV tube. He let it happen. He was far too weak for resistance. And she’d offered him a proper solution. Instead of a long, painful death within the next days, she killed him now. It was stupid, but he felt almost relieved and maybe even thankful. He laughed hysterically on the inside. He didn’t think about Danny or anyone else. His mind was blank, and the really scary thing was that he wasn’t even scared.

His heartbeat increased until it became a wild crescendo, losing all rhythm. All he saw was her face when a sudden pain seized his chest, a gigantic excruciating explosion and then he was surrounded by darkness and silence. The promised light at the end of a tunnel … nothing more than a lie … hope for the hopeless.

“Hi Steve,” Danny cooed.

After seeing his lover's reflection in the window, Steve lowered his head and swallowed. He looked up again and turned around.

“Don’t sneak up on an armed man,” He said in a husky voice and gave him a weak, lopsided smile.

Danny dropped his gaze to the holstered gun.

“I knew something was off; I just didn’t know how bad it was,” He muttered and eyed the taller man up. "So that's what you're doing? Playing 'come out, come out wherever you are?' Putting your life at stake while hoping she'll take the bait? Are you nuts?"

Steve felt like a teenager caught kissing by one of his parents, not that this wasn’t the proper comparison; Danny could read him like an open book. That was the main reason he’d been avoiding him as best as he could.

"Why are you here?"

“You didn’t answer my calls," Danny cut him short. "Your mailbox must be drowning in messages right now. You've suddenly got something against phones? Any phobia I don’t know about? I'm well aware of you telling me you needed space and time.” Danny cut the budding reply short with a sharp move of his hand. He gritted his teeth.

Silence.

"See, so I decided you had enough of the silent treatment, and now I’m here. How have you been?”

“Never better,” Steve lied, "took my meds, felt like a dead man walking. Was with the shrink whom I told what he wanted to hear to make at least one person happy. It wasn't hard. What about you?"

Danny briefly contemplated replying with something like, well, at least half the truth. Maybe 'Oh, I'm doing great. By the way, I've got a pair of rings hidden from you for quite a while. Any takers?'

But instead, he said, “You still owe me a candlelight dinner, remember? And I could really do with half a cow on toast or at least an indecently large steak because my day has just been great. My ex-wife nominated me for 'worst dad ever.' The Governor drilled me with questions about her favorite Ninja!SEAL while I was chewing on something comparable to the sole of a shoe. Then, Kono, Chin and me played scrabble with bagged evidence and even tried using the Chinese Alphabet. And the highlight of the day was an interrogation with a guy who thought wrapping his head with tin foil will keep the government from infiltrating his mind with Russian folk songs. Nastrovje."

Steve couldn't help but smile. Danny had worked his magic on him once more. The guy could talk like a machine gun with hands and feet, and it never failed to bring him around.

“God Danno, you’ve no idea how much I’ve missed you.” Steve's voice trailed off.

Tears stung in Danny's eyes. The lump in his throat was about to choke him as he stared at his lover. Images flashed before his inner eye, nothing he could help or stop. Snapshots of their time together, of their courtship, their high hopes for the future. Thoughts of the way Steve looked at him, after they’d made love and how safe he used to feel when he fell asleep in Steve’s arms.

Something dark was crossing over Steve's features as he turned toward Danny and gently took his friend's face between the hands. “I wish I could come with you right now and leave it all behind,” he said in a choked voice. He inhaled Danny's scent and everything around them faded into a mist. He kissed him softly.

But instinctively Danny stiffened.

"What's wrong?"

Danny withdrew from him, folded the arms over his chest and looked to the ground. He didn’t want to look Steve in the eyes. He knew Steve could charm him into most anything and that was precisely what the bastard was trying right now. Compressed into a few minutes, he'd ridden the entire Steve McGarrett roller coaster once more. Despair, hope, love and right back to despair again.

Nothing had changed! He was furious, sad and felt helpless all at the same time.

“You’re still down in that goddamned basement, aren’t you? With her,” He snapped and pushed Steve's hand aside when he reached for him.

"Daniel!"

He pulled back and lifted his hands. “Don’t!”

Danny could hardly breathe. He looked at Steve and desperately searched for the guy he’d been sneaking a peek at in the mirror while Steve was shaving, not knowing Danny was looking at him. The guy who had been sitting in front of the TV laughing over some silly Buster Keaton movie.  
Silence fell for a few moments.

Then Danny looked Steve squarely in the eyes for what probably was going to be the last time. “I’m sorry, so sorry. For a moment I thought you were … someone else …” The old Steve, the guy I fell heads over heels in love with … “I think I’d better go now,” He muttered. “Goodbye.” He turned on his heels.

“I still love you, and I ask you not to give up on me, please," Steve hollered out.

Danny heard him calling his name as he headed down the stairs. Seconds later he turned the knob and slammed the door.

Dammit! Steve fetched his cell phone from the nightstand and speed dialed his friend.  
  
Danny's phone started ringing before he even pulled around the curve. He knew who it was, but he had nothing more to say to him.

Totally drained Steve snapped the phone shut and dropped onto the bed. He covered his eyes with one hand. His shoulders jerked, and he drew in a ragged breath.  
It was all back to him, the void and his gun now, coming full circle.


	4. Chapter 4

Isadora was crouched over the cereal bowl as if someone might take it away from her. She grew up in a house with five brothers and one sister, and none of them had the exclusive right to anything. She cast a cold glance at the body on the floor, Lewis Shaw. She’d picked him up in front of a liquor store telling him a heart-wrenching story about her sick mom. She was good, really good. Within a couple of minutes, she’d convinced him to help her. Ten minutes later they entered his apartment, and another ten minutes later he was history. Her mouth is twisted into a satisfied grin. If this had been a video game, her body count would have been raising sky-high. Disgusted, she shoved the bowl aside and ran her fingers through her short, ash blonde hair. She hadn’t slept since she had managed to escape the hospital. Adrenaline was still pumping through her veins, keeping her on a natural high. God, she’d never felt so much alive. Except … Her mind drifted back to the basement and the more than handsome Steve McGarrett. A tingle ran down her spine.

“You and me eternally, you and me eternally,” She sang. She wasn’t through with him yet. And he knew it for sure.

She got up, stepped carelessly over the body and went into the bathroom. Moments ticked by with her standing, staring at her nude reflection in the mirror. There was this little scar on her lower lip.

_It's been around Christmas when she'd been twelve._

_Her father came home from work late and drunk. He was looking for a little distraction and this day he chose her. The other night it had been Kelsey, her older sister. She heard him coming. He was singing in a high-pitched voice, “you and me eternally.”_

_It was too late to escape. He forced her to her knees. Then flat on her face. She cried hard as he grabbed her hair and smashed her head into the carpet. But no one came to help her. The others were either asleep or ignored the noise. A whimper of terror escaped her throat while he was still laughing._

_She’d needed five stitches. Her mom had told the hospital she’d fallen the stairs down. It was her mother’s way to juggle the lies, doing anything to keep the secret._

Gently, she touched the scar. She closed her eyes for a long moment and when she opened them they were cold and detached again. “Good girl,” She thought and drew a breath. Brenda Moore was gone. This weak little girl was no more. Isadora Birch, Sweet Birch, had returned and taken over control. Thank God. Brenda had talked to her in the basement, desperately tried to convince her to change her mind. She’d begged her on her knees to free McGarrett. But Isadora was much stronger than poor Brenda. She turned on the hot water faucet and showered for a long time. After she was done, she got dressed again and started to clean the apartment. Brenda hated the smell of bleach though Isadora … loved it ...

~~~

_Steve had no clue what was going on. Someone inserted a curved steel blade into his mouth, pressed the tongue down, and pushed a tube behind it. The tube was large, filled his throat and he gagged and fought it._

_“Swallow,” He heard a male voice from far away, “calm down and swallow. It’ll be okay.”_

_Steve felt a hand gently wiping his forehead, wanted to open his eyes but he couldn't. The man slit the tube further down his throat, and he swallowed … Suddenly air filled his lungs. It’s calming, forced his breaths to equalize; his heart rate slowed down. He felt disturbingly calm. He had lost control, so there’s no point in fighting any of it. He’d fought so hard over the past few days. Now it was his turn to let it just happen. Strong arms lifted him up put him on a gurney and wheeled him outside. He winced as he heard her screaming his name again and again and he wished he had the power just to jump up and put his hands around her neck._

_“It’s not over yet. We have a love that will last forever, and I want you to know the way I feel because I'm eternally yours,” She yelled._

_The doors of the ambulance slammed shut, and darkness embraced him._

The ringing of the doorbell was a welcome distraction. He peered through the peephole since he didn’t want to find himself opposite to Isadora Birch. To his surprise it was Ava.

His mouth slightly curved as he opened the door, "good evening special agent. How can I help you?"

"First you can let me in. Then we must talk," She retorted with a grim look on her face.

He opened the door and waved her in, "Please have a seat. Want something to drink, coffee …"

"No, thanks, I have more caffeine in my system than anything else." She leaned against the dresser. He took the wing chair.

"I've talked to Danny," She said, "and I don't like what I've heard."

Steve swallowed hard, “Dear Danny chatterbox. What did he tell you? About that silly argument we had last night?"

Kimberly shrugged, “that you screwed it up, really screwed it up. And that he’d expected it but hoped you would make up your mind.”

A shadow passed over Steve’s face. “Listen, I told him I’d need some time for myself. But he changed the rules and showed up here. Hell, Ava!” He made a helpless gesture.

She gave him a censorious look, “You’re in your own private hell, Steve. But don’t expect your friends to follow you there, especially not Danny. I know you’ve experienced the worst. I can hardly imagine what you’ve been through …”

“You sound like all the others,” Steve hissed. “None of you knows what I’ve been through. Or has one of you ever been dead?!”

Ava shook her head and sighed, “So that is bothering you, isn’t it? Just because you ignore something that is bothering you, doesn’t mean it is going to go away. The frustration you are hiding is like cancer that has already spread. You can't cut it out in one peace."

Steve glared at her, “WOW, where did you get that from? Discovery Channel? Or do you think just because you're a damned profiler you can read anybody's mind?"

“This discussion is futile and beside the point,” Kimberly snapped and pushed away from the dresser, “Did you ever consider that you’re not the only one who was hurt?”

Steve gave her a smug grin, “Don’t tell me you … c'mon not really … you?"

“I’m talking about Danny, stupid!” She snapped. “He thought you were dead. We all did. But then we found you. And Danny stayed at your side for more than two weeks. He desperately tried not to lose his mind. In between morphine drips and surgery you told him you’d rather be dead in an alley somewhere. Do you know what you’ve done to him? He’s lost you more than once. Open your eyes, get your brain into gear, McGarrett. I've heard a lot of rumors about an erstwhile smartass Navy Seal. But either these were all fairytales or Isadora did a class A head job on you and turned you into a soulless robot."

Steve cleared his throat, “It’s strange, hear you talking about matters of the heart instead of the case,” He said in a husky voice.

Ava barked a laugh, “I know it’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it. Actually, I came here to talk about the case. The thing between Danny and you was just bothering me. I know it's none of my business, but I like the two of you. Maybe too much. Don't let Birch destroy what you and Danny have. He's told me a little bit about your special relationship while you were … you know. And I think you two make a great couple.”

Apparently, he was surprised by her honesty, because he was searching for words but remained silent. After a while, she decided to keep on talking.

“We gathered all the information we could get about Isadora Birch’s escape and her movements across the island. The bodies we’ve found and places where people might have seen her. We've made some calculations. You know the usual mumbo jumbo we do in such cases, and we came up with some rather interesting stuff.”

“I’m all ears," Steve said.

“You won’t like what I’m going to tell you,” She warned him.

Steve suck a cheek in, “I’m a big boy, I’m sure I can handle it. I know sooner or later she’s coming for me. I’ve told you that.”

Ava drew out a breath and shook the head, “she’s not after you, Steve. It looks like she’s going after Danny.”

Steve stared at her in disbelief. These were disturbing, really disturbing news.

"That … that's impossible, why should she change her MO all of a sudden? The men she killed so far could've been my brothers. Danny doesn't fit the pattern. You must be mistaken."

"You sound really disappointed," Ava stated. "I gave the results to our guru in charge, he double checked it and came to the same conclusion. Maybe she's tired of you. She already "had you." What should keep her from hunting down fresh meat?"

Steve jumped up, "I must tell him."

"I already did," She countered, and he doesn't want to see you. The rest of your team and my best agents are taking care of him."

He fumbled with his mobile put it against his ear and listened. Danny's voicemail took the call.

"Besides he's changed his ringtone for you to Ennio Morricone's Man with Harmonica. Speaks for itself, I guess."

Given the ringtones he'd chosen for Rachel and her attorney, Ava was more than right, Steve thought.


	5. Chapter 5

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/aic67/pic/000sbwba/)

While Steve and Ava were sitting together, talking about anything important she could think of in detail, Danny sat in his apartment, a bottle of beer in one hand and a photo album on his knees. He took a swallow and the cold liquid hissed down his throat. This was just great! Not enough that his relationship with Steve was getting more and more awkward.

Now this crazy bitch Isadora was after him. In front of his apartment, a dozen feds hung around. Chin and Kono had offered to Dannysit and he kindly refused. Actually, he should feel safe. But he felt like a prisoner instead. Sure, Steve's house would be a better alternative. Danny bet Steve could defend their lives even butt naked. This image caused a laughing fit and he almost choked on the gulp of beer he'd just taken.

"The Man with the Harmonica" – not now Steve. You just made it more than clear that you need space and time. Could you please make up your mind and until then, leave me the hell alone?

Danny still could feel Steve’s arms around him, smell his aftershave. But underneath the surface, something was terribly wrong. Danny often noticed that his friend was present physically, but not mentally, it seemed as if Isadora Birch had buried an important part of Steve down in her secret chamber of horror. Of course, Steve had assured Danny a dozen times how much he loved him. Unfortunately, these assurances had been nothing more than empty phrases and empty pledges. He hadn’t meant it; Danny had seen it in Steve's eyes. But what if Detective Williams gut instinct had screwed up? He swallowed hard and found it exceedingly difficult to keep his composure. "I wasn't wrong," he said out loud to convince himself.

When Steve had been kidnapped by Isadora and Danny had thought he was dead, his whole life turned upside down. Because in his entire life, he'd never felt so devastated. Not even after his divorce from Rachel. He'd smashed half of the dishes in Steve's kitchen, which had cost him a fortune to replace. He'd torn out Steve's clothes from the closet, spread them onto the bed and had curled up in fetal position inhaling the fading scent. He had behaved like a lunatic. And then they found Steve, alive. He'd been paralyzed for a moment, unable to comprehend it. He'd spent numerous days and nights at the hospital and had prayed to God that Steve would survive.

Of course, Danny had been aware of the consequences both would have to deal with after such a horrible experience. But he had had no idea how deep that bitch had crept into Steve's mind and what an impact it would have on their relationship. Bridges had been burned, and sometimes Danny wondered if there was any way to go back to normal for them at all. He drew a breath. Put the bottle and the album aside. His hands were trembling. He felt a knot in his stomach.

Isadora had destroyed many lives, not just Steve’s, and now she was out there waiting for another chance to finish what she’d started. Only, her focus had changed. Was he scared? He had no idea. Maybe it was better she was coming for him and not Steve. He was sure whatever she had in mind, he would be able to deal with it. Steve, on the other hand, was totally vulnerable. Danny hadn’t been able to protect him the first time but now he knew what he had to deal with. Back in Jersey, he had been through so many nasty things; Isadora wasn't going to win, he promised himself.

The mobile rang, startling him out of his thoughts. Slowly he took it in his hand and glanced at the caller ID. It was an anonymous call. Maybe Steve was trying to trick him.

He took a deep breath and flipped the mobile open.

He was just about to say something when a female voice cut him short.

“Detective Williams? Sorry for disturbing you but my boss gotta talk to you.” The woman spoke fast and with what sounded like a German accent.

“Who’s speaking please?”

“Michaela Weiss. I'm the assistant of the district attorney you might remember me? I kicked the ass of one of those paparazzi in front of the hospital?"

Now Danny knew who she was. A smile curled his lips briefly. A bunch of news guys had been waiting for Steve in front the hospital. One of them behaved more than rude and shoved his mike into Steve's face before Danny could react. Michaela had reacted better than any bodyguard when she hit that guy with her handbag. The scene had been all over the news.

"Yes, of course. What's up?"

"There are some minor inconsistencies in your testimony and Mr. Winterbourne would like to talk to you about them."

Danny swallowed, "Inconsistencies concerning what?"

She laughed, "Oh, I think it's nothing serious. He didn't tell me any details. All he wants is for you to come down to the office tomorrow morning around 9:00 am. It's going to be a matter of minutes and his schedule is very tight. Do you think you can make it?

"Yes, of course. I'll be there."

"That's great. I’ll tell him. See you tomorrow," She said cheerful and hung up.

Some inconsistencies? He twitched his shoulders. It wouldn't help for him to wreck his brain and so he went over to the bathroom to get a sleeping pill. He needed sleep more than anything else but without these little helpers, it seemed impossible tonight.

~~~

The warmth of the sun on his face woke Steve up. He felt like he’d been hit by a train at full speed. A glance at the clock told him it was 7:15 am. He dragged himself out of bed and over to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later he was on his way to the office.

Steve glanced into the rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of his own eyes.

“I’ve seen those eyes before,” he muttered. On the job eyes. The wordless panic when something horrible has happened but hasn’t entirely played out yet. In such a case he told the people to stay calm and that’s what he told himself today without great success.

He pulled the car up to the parking lot and rushed inside the building. Entering the office, he had the feeling several pairs of eyes were tracking him though no one was there except for Chin. He already stood at their gimmick desk skimming through some files. He looked up at him.

“Did you just crawl out of your hole?” he smirked.

“A good morning to you, too, Mr. Sunshine,” Steve grunted stifled a yawn and joined him. He could hardly follow Chin's fingers flying over the touch screen.

When he found the sheet, he was looking for he spun it around and pointed at it.

“The ME’s have checked the bodies of Isadora’s last two victims. One of them worked at the hall as security. Ring a bell?"

Steve shook his head, "Anything else?"

"Except the cut off hair, nothing. It’s infuriating. All we can do is keep hoping the public will come forward with something. What the hell are we overlooking? What are we missing? She’s like a damned ghost."

Steve flicked through the virtual report and asked himself where all the paperwork had gone. It had taken quite some time to get used to the nice little gadgets they had. He'd barely gotten a grip on something when the Governor thought it was time to present them with some new goodies.

“Birch is a walking nightmare,” he mumbled and met Chin’s eyes. “Actually, it’s far too early in the morning for this crap.”

He left the table and went for some coffee. “Ava and I spent last night together."

Chin gave him a dirty grin.

"I mean together talking. And I knew that you and Kono were with Danny. Did he mention something … about … me?"

"He threw us out of his apartment. Told us he's a big boy, doesn't need us to babysit. Nowadays, he sleeps with his gun under his pillow. It seems he's more worried about your safety than his own."

Steve stirred his coffee thoughtfully, "Any signs of Isadora last night?"

Chin shook his head, "She isn't crazy enough to dance with an army of feds, not to forget about Kono and me."

He winked at Steve. Around 8:00 am Steve tried to reach Danny again. He got his voicemail, but this time, he left his partner a message. After that, he was slightly relieved but relief gave way to horror when they received a call about another body.

Kono was already on the scene when Steve and Chin arrived. Together they entered the apartment. The CSU was there doing their job. Steve doubted they’d find a single trace; the stench of bleach filled the air.

For a split second, Steve stood there, unable to move. Things felt surreal to him, and he had to remind himself it was A crime scene, just not HIS crime scene.

“Are you alright?” Asked Chin in a low voice. Steve nodded slowly and tried to suppress the flashbacks flooding his mind. His scar started to ache. He ground his jaw.

“Uniforms are already canvassing the area,” Kono said stiffly. “Maybe someone has seen her or noticed some unusual activity.”

Steve turned to one of the CSU techs. “Did you find anything yet?”

The guy shook his head. “Nothing so far. We’re done on the top floor, and just got started down here. Whoever it was has been very careful. No hair, no fingerprints, no fibers, nothing. Even the body was cleaned with bleach.”

~~~~~~

It was bedlam at the city hall around nine; nobody noticed the woman in the fancy black dress. She passed the security check and rode the elevator up to the seventh floor taking a halt in the third. Then she positioned herself in front of Michaela Weiss’ office. The assistant of the district attorney would be at a meeting the next few hours.

Danny showed up in time. The elevator doors slid open and he discovered the black haired woman in front of the office. She looked like she was ready to leave. She wore dark sunglasses and a handbag.

“Oh, did I get something wrong? Or is your boss already waiting for me?” He asked smiling.

He got no answer. Instead of Isadora put down her huge dark sunglasses and looked Danny squarely into eyes.

"Everything is perfect Jersey. No need to worry. I have you exactly where I wanted you to be." The German accent she had had last night on the phone been gone completely.

Danny frowned. “What the hell …?” Then his eyes widened in disbelief.

This face, those features! He’d seen them a dozen times before. His stomach clenched and his pulse quickened, he stumbled back, hitting the tiled wall behind him hard. And instinctively he reached for his service gun.

"I wouldn't do that Jersey. I've hidden a .38 caliber under this beautiful satin scarf and it's pointed at you. One false move and you're going down."

He gave her a smug grin, "You won't shoot me in here. That's not your style you're better than that."

She returned the favor, "Try me and we'll see what happens. I love challenges. And I bet we'll have much more fun together than I had with Steve."

The wicked grin on her face gave him the creeps.

Danny flashed a desperate glance down the hallway.

“Don’t even think about it,” Isadora barked and showed him the gun briefly.

“How …?”

“The security guard … some man would do anything for a beautiful woman …” She said and gave him a smug grin. “And now you’re inviting me to a little sightseeing, aren’t you?”

Danny’s heart was beating wildly. “You won’t get away with it and you know it.”

“And you shouldn’t expect your lover boy to come around and save you,” Isadora retorted sharply. “He’s having … shall we say… issues? You are last on the list of what he cares about right now. Actually, I don’t think he cares about much of anything right now, including his own life. But that will change, believe me, as soon as I regain his attention. And for that, I need your help, Detective Williams.”

She made two steps toward Danny and pushed the muzzle of the gun into his back.

“One false move, one false tone and you’re history, cutie pie. I’ve got nothing to lose and I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Danny stood still and so she pushed the muzzle harder into his back and forced him to move forward.

"I can't believe it's been so easy to …"

“Shut up!” Danny hissed. “You won’t leave this building alive.”

“Then neither will you,” She replied in an icy voice.

Suddenly, Danny saw a face familiar approaching. It was someone from HPD. Peter Morgan, another Haole from Los Angeles.

He gave Danny a broad grin and stretched his hand, "Hi Danny, nice meeting you here. What's up?"

“Get rid of him or he’s the first to die,” Isadora whispered and increased the pressure of the muzzle.

Danny forced a smile and tried to sound casual, “Nothing serious, just some paperwork. And you?”

"Testimonial in a drive-by shooting. Business as usual." He sighed.

Isadora felt Peter’s greedy eyes on her. He was like all the others. If she had the chance to shoot him, he would be dead on her feet by now. Unfortunately, she had to make things look good, even if they weren’t.

Peter seemed undecided as to what to do. Danny prayed he would ask to join them.

But he couldn’t see the look on Isadora’s face. Without saying a word, she left no doubt Peter wasn’t welcome.

Morgan glanced at his watch, "Well, time is fleeting. I have a meeting in twenty with my boss. See you, Danny," He nodded toward the woman, "Ma’am."

“Look at her face, Peter. Look at her face! You know her,” Danny’s inner voice yelled as he watched the other man walk away.

How could Peter not recognize her? Her face had been on the news all across the country, in every newspaper … 'What kind of detective are you? Dammit.' Isadora seemed to read Danny's thoughts because she put her dark sunglasses back on.

“Too bad he had his eyes on my boobs and not on my face, Danny.” Isadora chuckled, amused.

The elevator dinged and both of them jerked their eyes to the wall, waiting to see which set of doors would open first. The doors on the left slid open. An old lady in her eighties gave them a warm, welcoming smile. Not really someone Danny could rely on if he tried to disarm Isadora. He felt the push of the muzzle hard in his back.

“One word or gesture and the old lady’s brain will be splattered all over the elevator walls,” Isadora hissed into Danny’s ear while giving the woman a false smile. She jabbed the elevator button. She didn’t choose the lobby; Danny wasn’t surprised...too much security down there. Again the elevator doors slid open. It got harder and harder for Danny to put one foot in front of the other. The old lady could be the last person who saw him alive or even remembered him. She waved the 'nice couple' goodbye, smiling.

“You could still end things here and now.” Danny made a last desperate attempt to convince Isadora to give up. “Nothing really happened; we could go back and …”

Isadora buried her fingernails in Danny's upper arm, making him wince.

“Stop blathering! Save your breath for what’s coming. I promise you; you’ll die a hard, lonesome death. It will be just the two of us.”

She ran the muzzle up and down Danny’s spine. He swallowed hard. Why hadn’t he answered Steve’s calls? Why hadn’t he accepted his apology? Isadora was right: it was just the two of them now.

~~~

Steve was on his way back to the office when he received a call from Peter Morgan. He took the call, even though it came as a surprise. Peter told him about meeting Danny together with this mysterious woman and that there'd been something off. He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was and it was bothering him so badly he felt he should call Steve. Steve thanked him and called Chin and Kono as he dashed out of the office.

In front of city hall, all hell broke loose as a water pipe broke and flooded the streets. Steve had to park his car at the rear. He cursed the traffic and the water main that caused him further trouble. He just hoped Danny and the woman were still around somewhere.

In the hall, people were buzzing around, hurrying to hearings, talking on their cells, arguing with each other. Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention unexpectedly.

A movement, a gesture, he couldn’t tell. It was something so completely different from all the other activities here.

His brain shifted automatically into SEAL mode. A guy and a girl, one of them were …

“Danny?!” he hollered out in surprise.

The woman pushed forward through the crowd without further ado. Steve followed them.

“Danny, wait! Danny!” People shook their heads and muttered unfriendly words, as he pushed them aside. When Danny and the woman reached the exit, Steve felt his heart throb. The other woman was …

“Isadora, freeze, H50!” He drew his weapon as he spoke the words and aimed at Isadora’s head. People panicked, screaming and running for cover.

Allegra cursed and turned round, using Danny as a shield. She had her back against the wall. To her left were some stairs and to her right was an emergency exit. To prove to Steve that he wasn't the only one with a gun, she showed hers briefly.

Security guards arrived on the scene immediately and told Steve and Isadora to drop their weapons. Steve showed them his badge without turning round. A glance over the shoulder proved him right. They had drawn their guns on him and Isadora.

“I’m Lt. Commander McGarrett of H50. I’m handling the situation and I’m asking you to put your weapons down, please.”

The guards exchanged concerned looks.

Steve's heartbeat increased. He was afraid the situation could get out of hand.

“Do what he says or Blondie here dies!” Isadora shouted grabbed a handful of Danny's hair and tore at it. He cursed inwardly.

Again, Steve threw a glance over his shoulder ordering, “back off!”

The guards hesitated … Seconds ticked by … but then they obeyed.

“Isadora, drop your gun, you’ve got no chance. Soon, there’ll be a SWAT team outside; you can’t win,” Steve said as their eyes were locked.

“So you think it’s about winning or losing?” she laughed hysterically. “You’re wrong. You’re so damned wrong. Didn’t you learn anything down in the basement? It’s all about control.” Her eyes glittered wildly. “I’m controlling this situation because I have what YOU want." She pointed at Danny with the muzzle of the gun. "None of you is risking Detective Williams' life or the life of anyone else here."

"I wouldn't count on that," Steve said coldly as ice, "And he's not what you want. You want me. Let him go and take me instead. I come with you. No tricks, no nothing. I promise."

She pulled a face and shook her head, "Nah, I already had you Steve and you know I get bored easily. I'll try this new toy." She licked Danny's cheek, who closed his eyes in disgust.

It was hard for Steve not to lose control and just pull the trigger. He was already covered in sweat.

“Are you alright Danny?” Steve yelled out. He could hardly control his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Danny snapped. "Just do me a favor and shoot this bitch so we …"

She hit him hard on the head, “Shut up the fuck up!" Then she was about to make a move. "Time's up nice talking to you guys. We gotta go. C'mon Jersey darling."

Bile rose in Steve's throat. He shook his head. “I’m sorry; your journey ends here, Isadora, here and now. No more suffering, no more victims.”

He could see that Isadora was slowly losing it. There was no way out. Steve was wondering why he didn’t hear sirens or saw other police activities outside. He needed more time, but he doubted Isadora would do him the favor.

“So what? If you won’t let me go, he dies first and then you follow. I’m fast …”

“But you’re not bulletproof,” Steve replied sharply.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” She said and grinned from ear to ear.

She’s wearing a Kevlar vest, Steve thought. From his point of view, he couldn’t fire a clean shot at her head; it was impossible, not without endangering Danny. There was still no sign of a SWAT-Team, or anyone else.

“Or would you prefer I shoot precious little Jersey boy first?” Isadora said and ran the muzzle of the gun over Danny’s cheek. “What do you think Jersey, you first or Steve first?”

Steve glanced back at the guards. Their positions were even worse.

Isadora swung her gun back and forth between Danny and Steve. “Who’s going to be first? I’m serious; this is your last chance. I’m counting down from five. If I hear no name, I chose. Five, four, three, two …

Steve held his breath. He saw a determined look in Danny’s eyes. It was the look of someone who's desperate to protect the ones he loved. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Steve's mouth opened. “Noooooo!” he yelled while Danny spun around and pushed Isadora hard. She lost her balance, and together they fell down the stairs. A shot exploded, and then another. A ricochet hit the marble banister. Everybody was again running for cover. Steve just stood there, motionless.

A deadly silence fell over the hall after the second and last shot. His brain told his legs to move, but he couldn't.

He was back in the basement with Isadora and Danny, who was strapped to a gurney his mouth taped shut. The room was on fire. “Burn, McGarrett, burn. We all burn in hell,” Isadora yelled hysterically and laughed. Danny’s pleading looks faded away in the smoke.

The blood-curdling scream of a woman brought Steve back to reality.

He holstered his gun and rushed down the stairs. The two bodies were tangled together. Isadora was staring at him. For a moment he hesitated. Then he recognized the unnatural twist of her head. She was dead, her neck broken like a match. Steve drew his attention to his partner and tore him away from Isadora’s body, calling his name again and again. He showed no reaction. Then he saw it, a red stain blooming on Danny's white shirt.

“NO! Danny!” He yelled out and held him closer. “Danny stay with me, stay with me Danny, you hear me?!” No reaction.

He desperately fought to keep it together.

“HELP! SOMEBODY HELP, PLEASE! WE NEED HELP!”

He dragged and tore at Danny but he remained unconscious. Steve's knees buckled and he slid down the wall into a sitting position. He buried his face into Danny's hair and rocked him gently. His friend's left arm hung limply at his side. The blood was leaking out of Danny and so was his life.


	6. Chapter 6

_Eight hours later_  


The doctor entered the waiting room, a grim look on his face. Steve, surrounded by Chin and Kono, jumped to his feet and looked at him expectantly. The doctor pulled the green cap from his head.

“Lt. Commander McGarrett?” The man’s voice was tired, and he looked exhausted. “We worked to stabilize him and assess his injuries. But Detective Williams is in very critical condition. We had to remove one kidney, and he’s lost lots of blood.

Steve closed his eyes briefly. He swallowed again and again, desperately, fighting his nausea.

“I want to see him,” he pressed out between his teeth.

“Of course but only a few minutes. Please follow me.”

“Shall we come with you?” Kono asked worriedly.

Steve shook his head slowly and followed the surgeon into the ICU.

Dim light illuminated the room. Danny’s face looked liked marble. Steve’s chest painfully constricted as he eyed him carefully. Machines did the breathing for Danny; machines controlled his heart rate and other essential life signs. So many tubes and wires lead from and to this suddenly so fragile body. Steve remembered Danny, full of life in his arms as he now took stock of every inch of his lover’s body. Isadora had almost managed to add one last victim to her chart. Brava! How about a round of applause? Standing ovations?

He should’ve prevented this. Danny was his responsibility. His to protect, his to… to have and to hold, goddammit.

Steve reached for a chair and sat down. Then he gently took Danny’s hand. It felt stiff and cold. He caressed it and kissed it tenderly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry babe,” he said in a choked voice. “Please forgive me. Sorry, I wasn’t there when you needed me the most. I promise I’m here now and I won’t leave you anymore. Please, Danny, don’t leave me. I need you. I need you like the air that I breathe.” Steve cupped his cheek with Danny's hand and kissed it, “I love you, Danny. Stay with me, please. It’s not too late to make a new start …”

Suddenly the alert of the machines went on. Nurses and doctors flooded the room. Steve was pushed aside, harshly. His body felt numb. Everything around him faded …..

  
_A few days later_

Steve leaned against his car outside the morgue. Thoughtfully he ran a hand across his stubbly chin. It shouldn’t have happened, and yet it happened. He thought the nightmare was over. His scar ached. The next step was going to be a tough one, but he had to do it to convince himself it was true. He pushed away from the car when Ava showed up. Together, they went towards the entry of the morgue. He had to force himself to move on. His mind was flooded with fragments from the past: a bloody scalpel, the stench of a rotten corpse, flickering neon lights at the ceiling, his hands strapped to a gurney. Automatically he looked at his wrists; the scars were still there. Hardly recognizable to someone who didn’t know, but he would always see them. He swallowed hard, and his emotions were on a rollercoaster when he stopped in front of the last door.

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Ava asked him. "There's absolutely no need to."

Steve should've turned on his heel and left. He hesitated. There was only this door that kept him away from the truth. He swallowed hard, his knees felt like jelly. The place was empty, and he almost could swear he heard the whispers of the dead. But it was just his mind playing nasty tricks on him. He shut his eyes and wished the ground would open and swallow him. But nothing happened.

"I have to do it," He said in a mere whisper.

Ava led him through the steel door. An employee of the morgue was waiting inside and pulled the white sheet back.

Steve heaved a relieved sigh. Now it was Isadora's turn to lie on a steel table. Over the past few days, he'd always felt her presence. But it'd been only her ghost. Steve turned around and hurried outside. He needed air. He ran as fast as he could, jumped into his car and fired up the engine.

He felt the urge to pay Danny a visit. Before Steve drove off, he looked into the rearview mirror and … the backseat was empty. Of course, what else? Danny was right when he had told him he was still down in this goddamned basement. But that was only half the truth: A part of him died down there ...

_A few weeks later_

Coming home late with two bags of groceries, fruit, vegetables and other healthy and unhealthy stuff, Steve kicked the door shut with his foot and put the bags on the kitchen counter. He found Danny on the couch with the television off and most of the lights as well. This was a clear statement.

"What about the candles?" Steve said hoarsely.

"I was just about to light a few," Danny said with a smile in his voice.

Steve stopped short. It seemed Danny was waiting for him to make the next move. And Steve wanted nothing more than to take his lover into his arms and kiss him and fuck him … But he wasn’t sure if they were there yet. He tucked the ice cream and the groceries away. When he had finished with that, he started to potter around the kitchen, putting stuff from here to there aimlessly, trying to gain more time to think.

Steve startled as Danny stood right behind him teasing, "Are you done role playing?"

"What do you mean?" Steve swallowed dry.

"Since when are you into housekeeping, princess?"

Danny looked up, smiling and squinting and Steve thought how he'd missed that look most of all.

“I can think of fifteen better things you could be doing with those hands of yours, Steve. Easily.”

“Danny, I… I think we should… are you sure you’re well enough to..?”

“Cat got your tongue, McGarrett? What’s with the mumbling and fumbling? What does a guy have to do around here to get you into SexySEAL mode, huh?”

"Let's take it slow," Steve muttered while Danny reached up pulling his lover's face closer. Both held their breaths, and Steve knew if he started down this path there would be no return, not this time.

"Slow enough?" Danny teased.

"Too slow," Steve said, quiet and urgent, leaning in to cover Danny's lips with his mouth before he dragged him upstairs. Literally.

Danny pushed Steve onto the bed, drove his hands under Steve's t-shirt, up his abs, his chest – the scar – and all the way back pushing deeper into Steve's pants.

"Not going to last long," Danny moaned when they came up for air.

Steve didn't listen and didn't stop moving. God, he was moving, grinding down on Danny's lap making him whisper incoherently. With a fluid move, he flipped Danny on his back, slid off his own t-shirt and threw it across the room, then did the same thing with Danny's. His hand brushed over Danny’s hard on. For a brief moment, Steve's hand hovered above Danny's stomach before he slid it down the front of Danny's jeans. There was barely enough time to catch a breath. A few seconds later Steve's mouth covered Danny's. As Steve tongue-fucked Danny, his lover couldn’t contain himself any longer. Danny came, splattering Steve’s hand with come as he arched his back pressing hard against Steve.

Slowly Danny opened his eyes. Steve looked pleased and as smug as Danny had ever seen him while he was wiping his hands with a t-shirt.

Danny smirked, "told you I wouldn't last long."

Danny looked up at Steve with that cute grin on his face and Steve felt his chest constrict almost painfully. He was so used to keeping his emotions under lock and key, but right now, they were threatening to choke him.

"You know what?" Danny murmured, nibbling at Steve's earlobe.

Steve answered with a kiss whispering, "What?"

"You do something stupid like being kidnapped again, and I may have to do something really drastic. Like moving back to Jersey."

While Danny was speaking, he pulled Steve's jeans open all the way.

"I will take care of myself, promise," Steve answered, breathless and raw.

Steve felt Danny's tight grip on his cock and knew the time for talking was over.

Later when Steve was cuddled close to his lover's chest and fast asleep, Danny was staring at the ceiling. The rings were still there in the drawer, waiting. Waiting for another precious moment. Didn't this one count? Danny found he didn't care as much anymore because he'd learned that every moment of life was precious and that Steve was the one he wanted to share his life with. They had a special bond between them. Something unique. Something you couldn't describe with words or express with a piece of jewelry.  
So maybe the rings had best go back to the jeweler’s store.

With a sigh, Danny finally fell asleep. The complexities of his relationship with Lt. Commander McGarrett could wait until the morning.

~~~

When Danny bounded down the stairs the following morning, he was surprised to find Steve in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.  
Normally, the man would be out for his early morning Ironman, or whatever. But there he was, frying eggs and bacon with a wistful expression on his face.

Danny sat down on one of the stools and watched his partner move around the kitchen with the same graceful, controlled movements he would be using for thai chi or other such things.  
Steve put a plate in front of Danny, turned around and placed a mug of coffee next to it.

“Since when do I get premium service around here, Steve?” Danny chuckled as he speared a slice of bacon with his fork.

“Dunno, maybe I’m trying to butter you up, buttercup?"

Steve grinned widely.

“And what would I need to be buttered up for, princess?”

“Well, maybe for me asking you if you really mean it.”

“Mean what?”

“The ring thing.”

“The ring thing? What ring thing?”

Steve put a familiar looking box on the counter. Danny swallowed hard.  
“Oh. That ring thing. Yeah, guess I mean it alright. But where ..."

Steve scratched his head. 'This guy wasn't going to be embarrassed, was he?' Danny thought.

"When you were at the hospital ... I ... I remembered your stuff in the drawer and ... I wasn't nosy ... I just wanted something to connect with you. This sounds stupid, right?"

Thank God Steve didn't know what Danny had done, back then when he thought he'd lost his lover forever.

"Nah, don't think so," He mumbled and looked at Steve.

His partner had gone completely still, eyes serious, fixed on Danny without blinking.  
“I should have … done this… a long time ago, Danny.”

“What, made me breakfast?” Danny quipped, voice a little choked.

Steve shook his head and opened the box. He took the smaller ring and slipped it on Danny’s hand.  
Danny swallowed convulsively, as he put the other ring on Steve’s finger.

“No more, Danny. No more.”  
Danny looked at Steve questioningly.

“No more hiding, no more pushing you away. I promise.”

“Sounds good to me, McGarrett.”

“Love you, Danno.”

“Love you too, you stupid oaf.”

  
  
**THE END**


End file.
